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. 2001 Jul;85(2):255–260. doi: 10.1054/bjoc.2001.1882

The expression of vascular endothelial growth factor C and its receptors in non-small cell lung cancer

T Kajita 1, Y Ohta 1, K Kimura 1, M Tamura 1, Y Tanaka 1, Y Tsunezuka 1, M Oda 1, T Sasaki 2, Go Watanabe 1
PMCID: PMC2364042  PMID: 11461086

Abstract

Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-C and that of its receptors were assessed in non-small cell lung cancer. Immunohistochemistry revealed positive VEGF-C expression in 38.7% (24/62) of the patients studied. A significant positive correlation was found between VEGF-C in cancer cells and VEGF receptor-3 (VEGFR-3) in vascular endothelial cells, but not between VEGF-C in cancer cells and VEGFR-2 in endothelial cells. In this cohort of lung cancer patients, VEGF-C expression was significantly associated with lymph node metastasis, lymphatic vessel invasion, and worse outcomes after the operation. Although the independent prognostic impact of VEGF-C and VEGFR-3 was not clear, VEGFR-2 expression in endothelial cells retained the independency as the prognostic indicator. In light of these findings, we conclude that VEGF-C plays an important role in lymphatic invasion/metastasis and tumour progression in non-small cell lung cancer. © 2001 Cancer Research Campaign http://www.bjcancer.com

Keywords: VEGF-C, lung cancer, lymph node metastasis, VEGFR

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Selected References

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